Imagine a world where screens vanish, replaced by shimmering, interactive 3D holograms – a world straight out of Star Trek. That's the vision driving VividQ, a company revolutionizing display technology. But can a small startup truly compete with tech giants vying for dominance in the AR/VR space? Pulse 2.0 sat down with VividQ's co-founder and CEO, Darran Milne, to delve into the company's holographic ambitions, its technological breakthroughs, and the challenges it faces.
Darran Milne's Journey: From Quantum Physics to Holographic Displays
"Could you share a bit about your background?" we asked Darran Milne. He responded, "I'm Darran Milne, CEO and founder of VividQ. My journey began in the realm of academia, where I earned a PhD in theoretical physics, specializing in quantum information theory and quantum computation." Milne's academic pursuits laid a strong foundation for his future endeavors. He further explained, "After a brief stint as a post-doctoral researcher, I ventured into the world of finance, working as a quant analyst for a financial software company. This experience broadened my perspective and equipped me with valuable analytical skills."
But here's where it gets interesting: Milne's career took an unexpected turn when he joined a startup with ties to the photonics engineering department at the University of Cambridge. "While that startup's initial concept didn't quite pan out," Milne admitted, "it led me to forge connections with brilliant minds in the photonics department. Together, we embarked on exploring novel display ideas, merging my mathematical and theoretical physics background with their expertise in 3D display technology."
The Genesis of VividQ: From University Labs to Holographic Dreams
"How did the idea for VividQ come about?" we inquired. Milne recounted, "The researchers were already experimenting with early-stage holographic displays. However, these displays were limited by interaction capabilities, image quality, and size, primarily due to the immense processing power required to generate the holograms."
And this is the part most people miss: The team recognized the potential of holography but understood the existing limitations. "We dedicated a few weeks to exploring new, more efficient methods for hologram generation," Milne elaborated. "Our efforts yielded remarkable results. We achieved speed improvements of thousands of times, enabling us, for the first time, to create holographic images that were generated in real-time and interactive."
"That's when we realized we had something truly special," Milne emphasized. "We envisioned a future where holographic displays could replace all existing digital displays, offering fully immersive 3D experiences without the need for headsets or glasses. This technology could unlock entirely new categories of products and applications. We were essentially on the path to creating the 'Star Trek holodeck' or the 'Star Wars Leia hologram'." Driven by this vision, they secured pre-seed funding and officially spun out VividQ.
Favorite Moments: Hackathons and Ingenuity
"What stands out as your favorite memory while working at VividQ?" we asked. Milne shared, "Every year, we host an epic two-day hackathon where we divide our team into four-person groups and challenge them to invent new solutions based on a central theme. Sadly, I don’t get to participate directly, but I thoroughly enjoy judging the projects. The level of ingenuity is consistently off the charts, and the prototypes are often both hilarious and ingenious in equal measure."
VividQ's Core Offerings: Building Blocks for a Holographic Future
"What are the core products and features that VividQ offers?" we inquired. Milne detailed, "We develop the fundamental building blocks for holographic displays. This includes software, encompassing core algorithms, APIs, render pipelines, and content plugins. On the hardware side, we provide product and display module designs, hardware development kits, and complete display engine modules."
In essence, VividQ provides the tools and technology necessary for companies to integrate holographic displays into their own products, enabling truly immersive 3D visuals. It's not just about creating the image; its about enabling others to create the image.
Navigating Challenges: A Turbulent AR/VR Landscape
"Have you encountered any challenges in your sector recently?" we asked. Milne acknowledged, "One of our primary target applications for our developer kits and display modules is in AR glasses and VR headsets. However, this market has been quite volatile, with many companies making promises they couldn't deliver on. This puts a very high burden of proof on new technologies, which can slow down progress with both customers and investors."
But here's a potential controversy: With tech giants like Meta and Apple investing heavily in the technology, the question arises: "How can a small startup like VividQ effectively compete?" This is a valid concern, and it requires strategic thinking and innovative solutions.
The Evolution of VividQ's Technology: From Software to Full-Stack Solutions
"How has VividQ's technology evolved since its launch?" we asked. Milne explained, "Initially, we focused primarily on the algorithms and software aspects of holographic display. However, we've increasingly embraced the hardware challenges as well. Now, our offering encompasses the entire display architecture, making it applicable to numerous near-term products, including VR, AR, and automotive HUDs."
Significant Milestones: From Call of Duty to Floating Holograms
"What are some of VividQ's most significant milestones?" we asked. Milne highlighted several key achievements:
Technical Milestones:
- Call of Duty holograms: "We can now play CoD (or other AAA games) in our holographic display hardware," Milne stated. "This represents a culmination of significant achievements, including achieving game-level image quality, high frame rates on low-power compute, and the ability to convert existing content into 3D holograms."
- 3D Augmented Reality Waveguide: "This is a novel lens that enables 3D visuals for lightweight AR glasses," Milne explained. "While waveguides are becoming the standard for AR glasses, they were previously limited to displaying 2D images. Our innovative design enables true 3D, resolving multiple challenges for AR displays."
- Floating holograms: "Beyond AR/VR-type holograms, we've also created a system that projects images into mid-air, without requiring any headwear," Milne added. "These prototypes serve as the foundation for future room-scale holographic systems, which will offer the ultimate entertainment and training simulation environments."
Business Milestones:
- "We surpassed the $1 million annual revenue target in 2024."
- "We've secured multiple major tech customers and are involved in ongoing development projects."
- "We've expanded our commercial activities by opening offices in Tokyo and California."
Funding and Market Opportunity
"Could you provide details about VividQ's funding?" we asked. Milne revealed, "To date, we've raised approximately $29 million from a diverse mix of investors located in the U.K., Japan, and the U.S."
"What is the total addressable market (TAM) that VividQ is targeting?" we inquired. Milne assessed, "In the long term, we aim to capture a significant share of the entire $330 billion display market. However, our initial near-term targets are the AR/VR market, valued at $9 billion, and the auto HUD market, valued at $7 billion."
Standing Out from the Crowd: A Unique Approach to Holographic Display
"What differentiates VividQ from its competition?" we asked. Milne asserted, "The other companies working on holographic display are all trying to invent new display hardware from the silicon up. This is a long, perilous and hugely capital-intensive journey. By contrast, our approach is to use existing, mass-produced components and solve the problems at the math/algorithmic level. We make ordinary components do extraordinary things with clever math rather than brute-force it with new and risky display hardware."
Vision for the Future: A Holographic World
"What are VividQ's future goals?" we asked. Milne concluded, "We envision holographic display becoming the standard technology across all devices – and, of course, for VividQ to supply the hardware and software underlying it all. We want to create a world where we have intuitive, 3D interfaces and are not locked for hours into a small screen in our hands or a desk. The creative, artistic and practical uses are endless. We have the technology to bring about this holographic world; now, we just have to see it through."
What do you think? Is VividQ's approach of leveraging existing components a smarter strategy than developing entirely new hardware? Will holographic displays truly replace traditional screens in the future, or will they remain a niche technology? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
